HBC Press Release: August Meetings

[admin]

HARTLEPOOL COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE

Council Meetings for August

HARTLEPOOL Council has announced its meetings schedule for August and is encouraging members of the public to hear the discussions and see how decisions are made.

Under the arrangements for meetings, members of the public can now ask questions at the Council's five main policy committees and policy chairs also attend neighbourhood forum meetings to face questions from the public.

Members of the public are also able to ask two questions now at Full Council meetings although they have to give advance notice for these meetings.

All meetings for August will take place in the Civic Centre unless otherwise stated. They are:

Tuesday 5 August

10.00am       Emergency Planning Joint Committee (held at the Emergency Planning Unit, Aurora Court, Barton Court, Riverside Park, Middlesbrough     
TS2 1RY)

Wednesday 6 August

10.00am       Planning Committee

Thursday 7 August

10.00am       Audit and Governance Committee
7.00pm         Full Council

Monday 11 August

2.00pm         Health and Wellbeing Board

Tuesday 12 August

10.00am       Adult Services Committee
4.00pm         Children's Services Committee

Thursday 14 August

9.30am         Regeneration Services Committee

Monday 18 August

9.30am         Finance and Policy Committee

Tuesday 19 August

9.30am         Neighbourhood Services Committee

Thursday 21 August

10.00am       Audit and Governance Committee
2.00pm         Neighbourhood Services Committee


Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings. However, under the Local Government Act 1972 relating to confidential and exempt information, the public may be asked to leave the meeting on some occasions.

Additional meetings may be arranged, details of which will be displayed at the Civic Centre and www.hartlepool.gov.uk.  Anyone intending to attend a meeting is advised to check that the date, time and venue have not changed by telephoning telephone 01429 523568.

For more information about how the Council works and how to get involved, a free booklet is available from all main Council buildings including libraries. It can also be downloaded by visiting www.hartlepool.gov.uk/democraticservices


Press release PR16513    23 July 2014.
Issued by Alastair Rae, Public Relations Manager, on 01429 523510.

[PostItNote]

http://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/Thanet-council-forced-allow-public-film-meetings/story-21852792-detail/story.html#3tw6zFBYMSIiSroG.01

I hope the council will also do the right thing and record the proceedings from now on, given the change in the law.  That would help Alistair Rae to achieve his press release goal?

[steveL]

Eric Pickles gave the nod to the filming of council meetings some months ago and issued guidelines covering such filming. In fairness, the tone of these guidelines was that council's would have to come up with a bloody good reason before they objected. Needless to say HBC did its best - notice had to be given, the Chairman had to announce that it was happening and individual councillors could then object to being filmed etc.

Middlesbrough Council came up with similar obstacles until they eventually threw the towel in completely recently and decided to film their own meetings.

[PostItNote]

Good, as they are paid, I believe it is in the public interest that they should install a camera and just record, to save volunteers from the Hartlepool Post or somewhere else having to do it on top of their own other commitments. 

We would then at least really start to see they are getting paid to do some work and the treatment of the public just might improve!?